postman

Park by the two modern stones, head north about 100m then go to the wall on your left the stones are on the other side, it’s easily crossed.
Two tall nicely shaped stones sitting quietly beneath the hills and mountains.

My daughter and I left the car at the entrance to Pantithel farm (there’s plenty of room), and headed north on the footpath. The path slowly but steadily goes up to the main path across the Presellis, when the paths T junction turn right, east, head for Carn Bica and the stones are visible and down hill from here.
Judging from the other notes on here it seems the place is a bit questionable, what is it exactly?
The place felt ancient to me, if that means anything, at least in keeping with other places I’d seen.
It was the day of the summer solstice that I’d chosen for a visit and we’d been on the road since 1am, but it wasn’t time enough to get here and we missed the sunrise by at least an hour.
But the early visit did reveal a possible alignment, though the sun was already quite high, in my minds eye I could track the sun going back down and stopping at the end of the stone rectangle.
A perfect sunrise on the summer solstice when viewed along its axis, might have the suns globe acting for a minute as the missing stone .
Or maybe the suns magic energy was somehow caught in the net made by the stones.
I hope that makes sense, it does to me.

Follow directions from maen cam. From the top of Fanfed hill you can see a slight something on a hilltop to the northwest, this is Darren(524m).
Keep heading for the something on the hilltop that begins to look like a stone as you get nearer. Its not till your right at the top that you can see its the cairn (called No.2 by Coflein) well , its the recently built hilltop cairn favoured by the aimless hill walkers of Wales. South west or left of cairn2 is cairn1 now only a slight smattering of fist sized stones. Back up the hill twenty metres is the....and I say this with all the jest in the world ‘stars of the day’. Two little stones, at least they were easy to find, they seemed to be miniature replicas of big standing stones, I lay down on the grass nose pressed up close to the stone, it could have been ten feet tall.
This was all back at the beginning of june when it was hot, never have I yet been to some stones and wanted to run naked in the hills,but I came really close this time and made do with dunking my head in the river on the way back.

2nd june

Parking a plenty east of the stones on the road below a hill called Y Garth (433m). Go west over the river and uuuuuup the steep hill, when the ground levels out head for nearest hilltop this is Fanfed(475m) slightly to its south west is what I presumed to be maen cam, a large bouldery type stone about three and a half feet tall. Its axactly where mappy said it was, but Coflein gives a different story saying its actuallly two fallen stones on a wide ridge one possibly natural, this isnt at all what I found. Perhaps there was mix up with a discription of the nearby Darren stones. (Or perhaps I was just wrong)
God it’s hot !!!

Not the easiest of stones to get to, approach from the north following the rough track south through the forest. Hopefully you’ll get to the track that only has foerst on your right hand side and heather to your left, park by a wooden stake by the side of the road, possibly an old footpath sign. The stone is hiding amongst the heather and it’s very good at it too. Barely two feet tall it’s no wonder no-one had been there till me. From the stone look west through a corridor in the trees and straddling the fence is a cairn, not wide or tall but nice to sit upon above all the heather which has fairly taken over the whole area. The cairn was really easy to find but the stone took ages, round and round I went scratching through trees, sweat pouring from me, I probably passed it three or four times.
But that’s all par for the course sometimes, golf is a good walk spoiled but stone hunting is a treasure at the end of an adventure.

Park on road, theres plenty of room and the nearby farm is in ruins.
It was a long wet walk with daughter and dog, but niether complained at all, even when I lost Pips umbrella.
The stones are surely the remains of a stone circle, some kind soul has put metal stakes in the ground where stones may have been. Ranging from 5ft to 2ft, the stones are high on a flat hilltop with no view, but then it was quite foggy.

There are “no parking” signs on the road by the house nearest to the chamber, parking is way down the road, one place only.
The footpath is clear up to a point just try to head for the gap in the woods, the cairn blocks the corridor, which also looks like an ancient river bed, where the water had fallen over the cliffs into the sea is where the cairn is located.

This is apparently the only chambered cairn on the island, so I just had to come see, another early visit with Maggie the Jack Russell.
The cairn isnt in best condition when covered with ferns it’ll be gone, only one upright remains of the chamber and one half of it is gone completely. A cist is located half way along its back. Fantastic views everywhere.

Eric and I got up early and sneaked off to see these stones before everyone was up. It wasnt a happy visit, It was raining sideways, we were both waterproofed up but he still wanted to go as soon as we got there. I wanted to try again later in the week but just never found the time, so much to see so little time. The stones are big ones, bigger than their neighbours down the hill, Two up three down.

I parked up the hill by the other stones in the forest, and then went bumbling down the hill only then did I see the stones and say to myself “oh right” I should have parked on the hairpin bend (theres plenty of room) by the cemetry. Because of its ease of visit I came here twice, once in drizzle and once during a golden sunset guess which was best.
Only the largest stone is in the wall the other two smaller ones come away at an angle, but a fourth stone is in the wall further down about 10 metres away, a theory occured to me, when the wall was built they incorporated the biggest stone in the wall, dragged the fourth one into the wall but as it was so hard they left the other two and decided to just build a burial ground right next to it. Genius ? ? Ha dont fool me

Quite easy to get to, follow signs for the castle but when you come to a T junction turn right then left into the forest. Follow this track through the picturesque woods and when a view opens out to the right spot the stones below you park further on by a barn.
Me and Maggie the new pup came here about 7.30 am never saw a soul even the sheep hadn’t got up yet.
All I know about these stones is that they should be in a line, one is out of place which one I dont know. A more pleasant place there may be but right now I cant think of it, the sea is dominant to the north, forests stretching away to the south and everywhere else is gentle undulating shapely hills.
The stones are all tall and each have a personality of there own , the ring around it is most perplexing, if it isnt ancient why would anyone else bother to erect it, some big stones are in the ring and would have taken some tugging.

We drove halfway up, and parked by a row of old static caravans with sad looking people watching tv. These were our first stones of a week on Mull being less than a mile from the campsite, a natural choice. I had no idea there was three stones, the fallen one is closer to one stone than the other making it look like if it fell where it stood then there is a big gap where a lost stone could have been originally.

As you enter the non-village of Loch Buie a sign on the left of the road alerts you to a small carpark and directions to the circle. Youre apparently supposed to follow the white stones but either the ground moves or someone has fiddled with certain stones. So cross the sodden feild passing the battered ring cairn, then make up a game see who can stay the cleanest, then turn left through a gate with a stone by it and your in the same field as the circle.
This is probably the last big stone circle on my must see list,(except places like the isle of Lewis ) and it was a good one ! Kept well out of the way of casual visitors the nearest thing of interest is Moy castle then its nothing for miles.
The stones are all large except the modern replacement and the nearest outlier (of which theres three), The ground is always wet I assume so bring yer wellies.

The main mountain chain generally runs north south but at times along its length a spur comes off east or west on one such ridge is this delicate barrow perched on a 20 ft wide saddle between two hilltops. Its visible as a bump on the hill line a mile away. The interior is scooped out and a cist shaped area is at the bottom of it.

Hiding from the wind was quite pleasurable in this cairn but it gauls me that someones burial place should be so used, as a wind break.
The cairn is wide spread and would be a good one if it was flattened by a big hand, from above maybe. What would George Noory think ?

Once more uphill and my legs are on there last ones but this has proper walkways which saves loads of time and the clouds are thinning and the wind is less stupid.
The stone is right infront of the cairn so both come into view at the same time. The stone has a lean to its horizontality suggesting just slightly that it may have stood. The cairn is still large, large enough to fool me into thinking the waymarker cairn on top was it.
There should have been awsome views all round which i’m quite partial to but alas my constant companion was the roaring cloud which became a bit unsettling at times, this dangerous but irresistable pastime.

Starting at the waterfall just head north and uphill, ever up . with fence to the right and the hills falling away to the left Moel Sych hilltop cairn comes suddenly into view as you crest the mountain top. Some curb stones are big and obvious on the west side and the whole cairn is quite large. But this was just the first one and it looks like the weather is closing in .

There is a parking place to the north of the circles and I presume this is where Elderford parked, but his route seemed a tad torturous so I drove through the forest to the east (Mynydd Wysg on the map) and parked by the two small rectangles on the map on the ground they are animal pens.
A short but uphill walk round the north side of the hill Foel Darw following the obvious path takes you up and over and down to “the bull brook” (Nant Tarw) Before going down to the river look across and you can see all the stones but most obvious is the big grey cairn head for that. When we reached the river I was a bit stunned to find a standing stone that isnt on any record,I don’t know if its really genuine but after seeing everything else on the moor it’s just got to be.

Above the stone is the cairn, it’s a spread of stones like any other cairn move on to the ESE circle. 300ft west of this circle is a fallen menhir ten feet long but I didnt bring Burl with me so couldnt find it. Some of the stones are gone and some are just sticking their noses above the surface of this grassy sea, but some are more than a metre tall. From here theres only one place to go...yep,uphill to the western circle.

Before reaching the circle is a fallen menhir about 8ft long and would have dwarfed the circle stones just a few feet away, the stones are on average larger than the other circles stones but still small enough to keep the other anoraks away.
Most intriguing of the whole place is the three stone row just 28feet away from the west circle,
the tallest stone is sadly fallen though thankfully not on the two smaller stones, it would be an almost carbon copy of the Maen Mawr at Cerrig Duon four miles south east and very similar to Pant Meddygon three miles north, it must mean something. Perhaps the big stone is the Astronomer priest and the other two his acolites
or maybe the circles builder and his mates,or is that just stupid.

On the way back we were sitting across the river appreciating the whole moor when Eric cried “Crow” it was actually a Red Kite just a few metres above us, Iv’e never been that close to a free bird of prey, it was so close I thought it was going to attack us....... Amazing Place marvelous mega minilithic paradise

Its a long walk from either west or east along the river, with maybe permission to be sought. So I did what any good postman would do and walked across the lawn, by that I mean I parked on the small road to the north of the stone ( theres only one place to park)and made my own quiet way down with only one old fence in the way it was just a ten minute walk, but quietly.
Amazing stone this one, Wales isnt really that into tall stones, there are some to be sure but most are about man height, So its awsome to find one thats about three mens height. It is fishy looking as is the stone at Battle away to the east, themodernantiquarian.com/site/4248/battle.html
but Eric wasnt having any of that it’s so very obviously a bird, with wings folded of course.

I parked to the southwest of the circle, in the carpark by the meeting of two rivers, the Sychnant and Afon sawddle, on the Beacons way footpath.
The way up to the stone circle is long and hard, and the ring isn’t easy to spot, but it is in a spectacular setting. Just follow the Sychnant east gently climbing the hill and when the river branches of to the left follow that uphill, when it has ceased being even a stream and gone underground break of at 90 degrees and go straight up hill. This should take directly to the stone circle.
Though if you do find it you may wonder why you bothered, most of the stones are just a bald pate amongst the grass, one stone was loose so I picked it up to get an idea of how hard it is to build a stone circle (a piece of cake as it happens)
and under the stone was its original stone hole so I re-erected it, Yaaay. Only two or three are of any size, two to three feet tall, and I would guess three men could haul it up from the rocky valley below.
But all of that is just by the way, its the scenery
that takes ones breath away specifically the Bannau sir Gaer ridge, Fan Foel and Fan Brcheiniog, it is truly gorgeous, and red kites everywhere.....ace !
Below the ridge of Bannau sir Gaer is llyn y fan fach, the lake from which a faerie lady emerged and had family with a local farmer whose offspring are the physicians, said to be the Pant Meddygon stone row a few miles north at the usk reservoir.
themodernantiquarian.com/site/9087/pant_meddygon.html

Located off the B5105 between Ruthin and Cerrigydrudion.After passing south through Clawdd newydd look for a carpark to your right, if it has an information board your there, pay attention to the board it has directions for both stone and circle . Watch out for wild Przewalskis horses( I kid you not)

It’s only been a few hours since we gave up on this place, but after a successful stone hunt at Maentwrog and another look at the info board I reckoned I knew just where it was.
I did too, The long walk down the path eventually bends to the right, fifty yards on look amongst the trees to your left a small clearing contains this shy but pretty little stone circle.
About nine or ten stones remain, best noted at the northern side, but they are mostly missing on the southern arc. It’s not a circle but a long oval
aligned north east – south west maybe. Two large stones may mark an eastern entrance one pointy topped the other flat topped.
I’m no expert though, but both Eric and me liked this little stone circle, we renamed it after ourselves... Hope you dont mind

I parked on the A496 near the churches archway entrance, a short walk takes you down and out of the village to this lovely little church, with big old Yew trees and at its south west corner is the standing stone.
About five feet tall the stone is just centimeters away from the the church wall, its as smooth a stone as ive seen. Sitting down next to it for a while it looms above me like a giants doodah, rubbing my hands across it’s surface I can feel a
hot spot on its top whilst the lower portion is quite cool. Strange
Inside the church i looked for the stained glass window with the saint laying his hand on the stone, it was the first window clockwising round the church, and perhaps not coincidentally the nearest window to the stone. Further round the church the womens fellowship have made a tapestry of the church and the stones right there, even further round are victorian plans of the church without the stone.
Its nice to see such a pretty stone still standing and that not all Christians are bigoted zealots.
(oops sorry)

Located off the B5105 between Ruthin and Cerrigydrudion.After passing south through Clawdd newydd look for a carpark to your right, if it has an information board your there, pay attention to the board it has directions for both stone and circle . Watch out for wild Przewalskis horses( I kid you not)

Initially it was really difficult to find this one, I 
was going mainly on the goole earth image , which is slightly off, instead of looking on the north side of the path (where I thought the stone circle should be) I was looking on the south side and it just wasn’t there. This is where the youngest trees are, the ground is uneven to say the least my whole leg dissappeared into a wet invisible ditch at one point. I decided that blundering around the thick vegatation was no good even climbing up a tree was no use wet and severely scratched I gave up, the stone was lost to us....for now.
Back at the path I strode north through the not so thick undergrowth looking for the stone circle and eventually found the clearing that was so visible from the google earth images. In that clearing was a large rock, did the circle go round it? I probed the grassy tussocks with my trusty shears, but found only one stone, a bit dissappointed I took a photo and sat for a while with my chatty young stone hunting buddy.
The stone, I found out later was indeed the Maen Llwyd I had been looking for, its almost horizontal only its bulky nature stopped it falling completly, It may have stood 6ft tall when upright and i half fancy it had a cupmark on it but thinking it was just a rock I didnt pay much attention, I doubt the stone would have been visible from the stone circle just a couple of hudred yards away.
On returning to the carpark i saw the info board and realised my mistake it felt good knowing i’d found the stone but not good knowing i’d not found the circle,another time maybe.

The donkeys are still there, and so are the dogs, Huskies by the look of them but they were mercifully quiet. The place does look like its all going to fall apart at any minute, I don’t know if the big stoney mound that the chamber partly sits on and in is part of the chambers mound or if it’s just a natural outcrop. (edit: it is)
Standing on the mound with the mines just a hundred yards away and the chamber right behind you is it obvious to assume the occupant/s of the Greyhounds lair were big cheeses at the mine, what did they do? what was there role in the mine ?
Went on holiday to Llandudno dozens of times as a child, now were planning a return in the summer, what goes around comes around.

Absolutely incredible !!!
This is one of those places that should be more famous than it is, as well known as “that place in Wiltshire” or Avebury or anywhere, I think the only reason is, its not easily accessable, its on a mountain, in Llandudno, from the welsh capital its as far away as possible and still be in the same country.

The four of us had the entire subterranian mine to ourselves, hard hats donned, we made our way through sometimes thin low tunnels, we peered down tiny shafts that lead only into darkness.
Malachite still lingers in places and when you go down to level two you begin to appreciate just how big this place might be, some of the miners were only 5-7 years old, shocking isnt it, untill I think, how my kids want to go everywhere I do and do everything I do, these underage miners may have liked working with their parents. Sometimes the tiny tunnels look like its only just been abandoned. The tunnels go down nine levels and god knows how far they go, perhaps the descedants of the bronze age miners are still down there tunneling away, Morlock like.
Upon exiting the self guided tour we find ourselves just five yards away from the entrance, funny how when your underground theres no way to know exactly where you are.
The bridge over the entire place is great. There is a small mine entrance that can no longer be explored due to stalagmites and stalagtites, then when you think you can’t be any more bowled over you find out that 90% of the mines are still to be uncovered.
What an incredible place.

The Area 51 of Anglesey.

The first time we came, a few years ago, we payed at plas newydd and made our way over to the field with the giant, we made friends and went home, great!
This time was different, i’m afraid to say we sneaked ninja style, tresspassing all the way, in our defence we caused no harm left no trace of our visit (excepting the chamber forecourt is now less festooned with dead wood) so I feel no regret.
We parked in the only place available, on the main road near a cottage and private track, walked down the road a bit and when it was quiet jumped the low fenced wall, walked along behind the taller wall amongst the trees, then climb another fence and leg it across the field over another fence and follow the wall around the woods. after the huge mansion has come and gone from view over a low old fence through the trees to a forest track twenty yards further west is another track and from here we can see the most desperately guarded burial chamber there is. To the south is the Menai Strait east is Plas Newydd and west and north has the farms and private properties the sparse pictures on here of it are in stark contrast to all the other well known sites.
I felt it was necassary to do the sneak because Plas Newydd was still closed, though we missed it’s opening by only a week and the more difficult it is to get there, the more I want to get there. A footpath directly from the road to the chamber is what we need, free and easy.

I was amazed to see the two tall mature trees from on the chamber summit had gone, but was forlorn to find this ‘orrible fence around the chamber it was easy to get in but it does make the place feel “not as good”, inside it was much as I had left it 5 years ago, we swapped stories tidied her up a bit and said goodbye.

So, where there’s a will there’s a way
but will you go all the way.

My second perfect equinox sunrise in Wales at a stone row called Saith Maen, the other is further north near Rhayader.
I parked on the main road near Criag y nos park/castle thingy, and walked up the road to the footpath (its right oppostie the impressive castle like frontage of said thingy), after wandering off course a bit thrown by the farm and horse paddocks, I strode purposefully up hill. Looking up ahead, you need to head for the high ground between two gorges, it’s not easy going.
There are more stones here than at the other Saith Maen, seven in all, two large stones are down, one is leaning. One of the fallen giants has a cupmark on it, well it looks like one anyway.

What a place to watch the sunrise, the stones aren’t aligned east-west so I wasn’t looking for any alignment, I just felt like a visit and it fell on the equinox. There was just a slight mist and the rest of the Brecon Beacons between me and the sun.

It is very thin and no, Cerrig Duon and the Maen Mawr can’t be seen but it seems obvoius that they’re going out with each other, going steady as it were, by that I mean they’re built by the same folk. But what hasn’t been mentioned is the mountain beyond, Bannau Sir Gaer is the highest peak in the Beacons at 749m, the mountain side facing the stone is a sheer cliff and fills one with awe and wonder, now stand back and look at the top of the stone and compare with mountain ridge, before thousands of years of rain wore down the stones top the two could have been identical, of course, the opposite also holds true.

I parked to the north of the fort and climbed the hill on the footpath, there so easy to find, these hillforts a nice change from camoflagued stones hiding in the undergrowth.
When visiting a burial chamber one has to get in, when visiting a stone circle one has to count and touch every stonen with a hillfort you have to walk the perimeter and identify the entrance, after thats done take photos and sit around gawping at the view, my favourite bit. I sat with back against the trig point (331m) out of the howling wind which had threatened to throw me off my step ladder earlier that morn, it wasn’t clear but it was sunny..... Yay Wales.

What a really ace place for a burial chamber !
In the Pembrokeshire coast national park right amongst almost vertical cliffs above the crashing waves
in a small inlet with a pristene beach near a castle, amazing, only the fact that it took four hours of solid driving to get here stopped me coming before now.
The path up to the kings quoit starts on the beach itself, as the tomb can be seen easily just follow the path, which in places is quite thin with a long fall into the cold water. I didnt know it was as big as it is,
the capstone is huge the stones it rests on are large, and there is that all important big get inable chamber. The setting is almost too ideal and I wonder whether the sea was this close all those years ago or was this bay and the others seen from the chamber all dry land.
Something was amiss though, there was a shallow excavation at the rear of the chamber 6inches deep or so and on the capstone there was a spread of what looked like finely crushed shell. nothing much I know but it seems there is still some madness left in megalithia.

Harold stone is next to a hedge two fields from the road, about seven feet tall and maybe four feet wide
but less than a foot thick, and by the looks of the ground possibly set in a cairn, unless its just field clearance.
The cows mooood loudly as we approached but lost interest as we went behind the hedge, this is probably the site of my phone loss, damn pixies aaaagh !

A big lump of a stone is this, set on the top of a slight hill, nearly seven feet tall.
A large black rub site marrs one side with black fur still on it .
This isn’t as far as I know a quoit, to be fair the map says its a standing stone,
perhaps the name “devils quoit” can be applied to any big stone or was the stone
once lying down and got it’s name that way, either way its a bit of a confuser.

Wow just look at that, what a superb dolmen I had no idea it was so huge. Even the super nearness of the house can be excused, if your into dolmems this one has to be near the top of your list along with Carreg Sampson and Ystumcegid.
The close proximity of a stone built wall counts for the cairn material I presume. I still cant beleive it though, even Phillippa said wow when we first clapped eyes on it , its just so big, Llech y tripped and coaten Arthur both up the coast are pale second cousins to this massive member of the dolmen race.. I know the house is a little off putting but just imagine sitting under the capstone on a hot summers day and watching the horses in the paddock not ten feet from the chamber, its a goodun.

Never have I seen a hillfort with such effortless access. The hillfort at Symonds Yat is still impressive
despite being almost entirely in the carpark of said beauty spot, upon entering the carpark from the road a single lane takes you laboriously round and through the woods and right past the earthwork, (but you can’t stop here) reckoning on the size of the carpark it must get pretty busy in the summer.

The innermost bank and ditch are the biggest by far, at least ten feet seperates the top of one with the bottom of the other, and at least two other smaller earthwork defences lie just yards down the gentle slope. The path from the cars to the viewpoint cuts over and through the defences but kind of gives an almost cross section view of the hillfort.

Because of “access improvements” we were denied that famous vista of the River Wye running to and from us, but were led off down a path to an alternative viewpoint. Which quite frankly wasn’t what we’d come for, all I can say is Goodrich castle better be open, and bring on the stones.

You can see the Queen stone from the A40, but its across the river so is unapproachable
from this side, turn off towards Goodrich and Symonds Yat cross the
” Bridge over the river Wye” and park infront of a gate, not the best place in the world but if you leave someone in the car they can just beeep you back. The stone can’t be seen from this smaller road just skirt round the edge and into the next field and you can’t fail to find it. More than 6ft tall and standing in its own scrappy square of land in a ploughed field, this is the most deeply rain carved stone ive ever seen, all the way round, from top to bottom these runnels are big enough to put a fist in, I wonder how it got its name, perhaps it was meant to be unflattering, all those wrinkles.

The long stone is immediately south off the A4136 and I mean immediatley,
it is a nice tall stone, had it been just about anywhere else I would have stayed longer than three minutes, but the exhaust fumes not only kill the atmosphere but everything else between the stone and the road.
But if your’e passing and decide not to stop, atleast wave and say cooeee.

On this my third visit to this teriffic trio, the sun blessed us with bright sunshine, unlike the previous two times, but that was back when Wales didnt trust me, I like to think wev’e made some progress This time I was determined to pay special intrest to the cupmarks on the middle stone as I didnt even remember seeing them last time and only realised they were there when re-reading Burl, theyre really quite large as big as my hand, one above the other separate by a foot or so.
But as with both my other visits it’s the whopper stone that simply demands your attention, it’s got to be fifteen feet tall, leaning almost too far, yet giving the impression that the lean is intentional and it changes shape and character as you walk round it, its widest where it enters the ground almost looking like a, well you know what, aaaaand it’s the most conglomeratey stone of the three conglomerate stones.
I’ll come back again one day and see something different again.

Whoa man this burial chamber is too close to the road, and the land it’s on is owned by a welsh farmer and there was livestock in the field, dissapointing ? No not at all, the deaf toothless farmer was interesting to say the least, and the livestock was four tiny ponies that weren’t afraid at all, but it really is too close to the road, even with the insertion of a thick spiny hedge that hides the road and muffles the
noise a bit.
Six stones define the chamber with the capstone half collapsed inwards, the capstone looks slightly the wrong shape for a capstone its thicker than it is wide, if I was out looking for the top rock to go on my brilliant chamber, the one they got would have been my very last choice.
A nice relaxing visit creamed off with the mini equine.

The Copstone can be seen easily from the road. A short walk up the gentle hill and the stone is upon us.
Standing in the trough that goes all round it the stone is nearly 6ft tall, leaning slightly to the northish
helpfully pointing us in the direction of all the other little lovelies that hide amongst the grasses up on
the moor. The stone is nice and smooth and at the tip I kinda saw it as a bit phallic, and at the bottom
were some probably natural markings that almost looked like ancient carvings, lozenges and a spiral
but it was more than likely just me after a long walk I was beginning to see the ancient world everywhere.

For ages I’d known of this circle but because of its location on the saddle between two bigger hills
i’d put it off, till now, I wish I had gone sooner it wasnt as far as I’d thought and the other stones on
the way keeps one occupied (like we need it up here).
The stones are sparce to say the least round the northern edge but much better the rest of the way
round, at times it seems like a double circle with the stones of the rings really close but are probably
just larger stones from the embanking. The western arc are covered with that lovely thick grass ive
come to know as “Goddam awful stuff” , from here we can see White Raise cairn back up the hill and
down by Ullswater Dunmallard hill settlement, of which I know nothing.
Buckets of thanks for Dave who not only accompanies me on these sometimes foolhardy trips, but also
carried the ladders all the way and stood underneath them holding me up just that little bit higher.

White raise cairn is by far the biggest on the hill, the one back down the path was either of two different
monuments, but this one was laaaarge and obvious, and as if to not have any confusion the cist to the
west of the cairn was open and get inable. One large boulder and the cist are all there is to see amongst
all the cairn material, so we appreciated its size and moved on to the star of these hills the curiously
named ” Cockpit” .

Just a few hundred yards onto the moor is this thumping great cairn circle, the big grey stones
are visible from quite a distance.
I suggested to Dave we take the step ladders to get a if not a gods eye view then definately a giants
eye view and he manfully carried them all across the place. It chucked it down all the way
there up the M6 but as soon as we got out of the car it brightened up tremendously, the stones were
big and easy to find, the morning sun shone in a way only morning sun can, even the moon put in an
appearance, and to cap it all, I was able to take some pictures from eleven feet up, fantastic.
Thanks be to Dave .

Parking is best had at the parking place north of the stone circle on the A57, Glossop to Sheffield road .
A small path leads up and over the verge to a fence which needs to be jumped, once over, go up hill to
the top of the rocky scarp now infront of you, Hordrens edge . From on top of here the path is easily
found and leads directly to the circle.
Some intrepid believer has been here with some shears and had at it to the troublesome tussocks ( no
doubt brought in from Wales) that I don’t mind, but the mostly full jam jar and spent candle had to be
removed. A good stone circle this one, the tallest of ten stones , seven of which are upright is just shy
of four feet, but there are what looks like stumps of stones, poking forlornly through the tough grass.
Stanage edge dominates the area it’s long rocky crescent of ancient rock looks down over two stone
circles, the other of which I’m off to find now.

The first time I came here my now almost seven year old son was just a few months
old, so seeing as the winter solstice sun wasnt going to show up anywhere near me today
this was as good as ever a time to reaquaint ourselves. Its dead easy to find so no directions
are needed.
I didnt remember it being this big, its really huge. The chamber is nearly half dug into the ground
and the whopping great capstone rests on about half a dozen stones but another half a dozen are just for
show it seems.
Inside are two stones that particularly stick out, one is the long flat bed like stone or outcrop and the
left entrance stone, they both have vertical runnels from when they were exposed to the weather and
both are attractively rubbed smooth. A really cool place to be after a long bout of sunshine but an
otherwise damp place elsetime.

We parked the car by the church at Ysbyty Cynfyn, an interesting place on its own with up to four standing stones in its wall, but today Eric and me all but ignored them as we took the path up and over the hill behind it. The path then descends into a steeeep sided gorge thickly
covered in moss covered trees, the gorge is crossed by a not to sturdy bridge high above the dark swirling river. Once crossed, it’s up the
hill, head for the stiles in the fences and not only will you be in the comfort zone of “Right of way” but youll be just fifty feet from the circle
which admittedly is outside said comfort zone, but hey, sue me (no don’t).
Funny how they sneak up on you isn’t it ? I almost blundered on past the stones thinking they were more on top of the hill, untill they came
into view off to the right. I think I counted twelve stones all together from the two tallest stones of about three feet to the smallest one which
struggled to get above the grass, at about an inch,though the smaller stones just make the others look bigger.
There are a number of this type of circle with in just a few miles of each other, this one is marked on the map as cairn so I wonder how many
more there are hiding under the catch-all name.
The stones are lovely, with lichen and weathering giving them a hoary look of antiquity, and all around the rolling hills occasionally gather
themselves up to a lofty point, it was a quiet and beautiful morning made all the better for having the boy come with me, even if he does need
a small bribe or two.

We parked on the small lane south of the circle near a quarry, from here its a straight forward follow the path up to the top of the hill, it was
here that Eric said ” all the way up there? no chance ” and I hate to admit it, he had a point, at about four hundred metres up it was going to
take all my skills as a father,mainly bribery and black mail. Once on top of the plattau keep following the path via the stiles in the fences,
passing Cerrig Caerau stone circle, Lled Croen-yr-ych hides amongst that infernal big thick grass whos only purpose is to hide stones on
Welsh hills Gaaah a pox on it.
Though the stones are smaller than it’s more megalithic cousin over the fence and half obscured by weeds they’re still quite large considering
other circles Iv’e seen in mid wales, with the big stones next door it wouldn’t do to have titchy stones in your circle, I really enjoyed finding
these stones and each stone individually, letting there prescence unfold and soak in as I walk the circle, which I did three times and still I can’t
remember how many there were, eight maybe. But its nigh on impossible to get any more than three at a time into a photo.
Aubrey Burl says this of the circle.... The name of the ring,’ the width of the ox hide’, derives from a belief that this was the burial-place
of a bereaved ox. At his death his hide was stretched out and surrounded by standing stones.

We parked on the small lane south of the circle near a quarry, from here its a straight forward follow the path up to the top of the hill, follow the path
via the stiles in fences and the path goes straight to Ceggig Gaerau.
All the stones are down and only eight remain, seven of which contain the southern edge of the circle and one huge stone to the north, surely any power
they once had has fled long ago . The circle over the fence Lled Croen-yr-ych is more complete but the stones here are so much bigger, one makes a perfect
bed on which to lie whilst cloud busting, the southern arc of megaliths is still quite photogenic, hollows surround each stone where sheep gather, If there was
magic here once and it’s gone then i’d say its got a new kind of magic, hard to describe but there nevertheless, I’m starting to waffle slightly so, yes, it was a long
walk the stones are good go and see ‘em (on a nice day)

From Shap head north-west towards Bampton Grange, just before you get there turn right onto Knipe moor, I parked next to the cattle grid
and followed the path up to the top. It was a bit of a scramble to the top but upon turning round the vista up and down the valley and to far
off High raise and High Street was gorgeous.(not being dead familiar with the lakes Ive only the map to go on)
Up on top of the Scar, Limestone pavements are scattered about and amidst them is this stone circle, a wooden pole stands within the circle
and it’s this that betrays the circles whereabouts, of which type it is I am uncertain but it looks to be an embanked stone circle. The rubble
bank is mostly grown over by mosses but some sizable stones still can be seen, one of which has a hole through it big enough to pass your
hand through. A large deeply runneled limestone block sits near the cenre of the ring and a possible entrance is at the south. A few hundred
metres east amongst the trees is an enclosure but mappy couldn’t say of what age it was.
I quite liked the place, it’s near inaccessability, diminutive size and lack of fame meant I had two hours to myself , but I shouldn’t think
theres really any need to rush up here, unlike me you just can’t help yourself.

Just a couple of hundred metres from the B844, when Loch Seil is on your left look for a double gate on your right with a Balfour Beaty sign and some
building materials, go through the gate and follow the track uphill take right fork and and proceed to ruined house, the stones are on the hill behined
the ruin overlooking Dubh Loch.
I’m pretty sure that when I looked on the megalithic portal there were pictures of two standing stones, so imagine my suprise when I found just one
still upright and two stones fallen, the stander is maybe 7ft tall, the middle one has been down long enough to be half buried and the north-west stone
still has an earthen tide mark, if this is where the stone was set to it is no wonder it fell as they only sunk one fifth of the stone in the ground.
That said, once again the setting was perfecto, looking across Dubh Loch to Beinn Mhor, a craggy mount with a hillfort on top, the stones had they
been all upstanding would have looked fab with the row pointing to the trig point on top of Beinn Mhor.
I’m finding it more and more difficult to find places that no-ones been to and the distance between my house and these stones is almost rediculous
luckily this part of Scotland is crammed full of really cool places of all kinds.

Not too hard to find assuming you’ve got a map, the first inkling that you’ve arrived is catching sight of Clach thingy wotsit down the road, park there by the standing stone and kerbed cairn they’re all in the same field, or just go straight to Strontoiller farm.

Aubrey Burl says there are still 31 stones, but I don’t think I counted that many but he was right about the western arc being best preserved, the circle is fairly ruined but still obvious as such, not intervisible with the big stone and kerb cairn as there are what looks like glacial moraines between them. Standing on top of one we can look down on the circle just as I was doing that very thing my mum called me on the mobile, a first, and freaky little thing. Just across the field I can see Loch Nell shining in the sun, another glorious day, Scotland must like me, and I like Scotland.

Off the A83 in between Inverary and Lochgilphead is Achnagoul farm, half way up the farm track is spaces for half a dozen cars, this is where we parked.
Whilst nonchalantly jumping the fence a car passed us going up to the farm, catching us somewhat redhanded, but they only smiled and waved so we carried on up the hill. We found this very long chambered cairn lounging around in the shade of two big trees like a fat lazy lion, but it came upon us suddenly as we couldn’t see it untill we’d crested the hill, obviously it was meant to be seen from afar, probably to the south and west.

It was a bit cramped in the chamber with the kids, and there’s only just enough room to squeeze in through the deliberately small entrance, the capstone is large and heavy and seemingly born to be a burial chamber capstone, as it fits so snug.

I’m a bit surprised only me and GW have been here, it’s a really big edifice and though the central chamber is all gone bar one orthostat its still in great condition and the setting is truly inspiring looking over the fine Loch Fyne to the snow capped mountains, and all the autumn colours coming through, it was a shame I had only limited time and daylight.